Huge levels are constrained by pre-determined paths, action sequences are harshly pre-determined and any sense that you might have be able to affect the outcome is sapped by the largely obvious mission objectives.

It's slick, colorful, challenging, well-rounded, has a soundtrack to die for and it allows you and a friend to waste more time playing "Pong" than either one would ever care to admit.

After playing through the gorgeous levels, I couldn’t help but think that Z-Axis was becoming awfully close to being as good as Neversoft.

A fun little cartoony racer that's meant for here-and-now thrills and for the young-at-heart grown-ups that still watch Looney Tunes.

From a silly laugh track sound effect playing back when Scoob & Shaggy get into (or out of) trouble to the sight of obviously rubber-suit monsters nearby, “Night of 100 Frights” delivers the sights, sounds and goofy things that made the Hanna-Barbera Saturday morning cartoon such a timeless hit.

Only the most patient, bored and PS2-deprived gamer should think of wasting the many hours it takes to get enough Norns hatched, trained and breeding to make the three worlds in Creatures come alive.

Fun little guilty pleasure while it lasts though.

An extremely short playtime, too difficult for younger kids, and too simplistic for older folk, only diehard Spears fans, who adore these types of rhythm games, may consider deeming this worthy of even a rental.

Neither TransWorld Surf nor "Sunny Garcia" tap the videogame potential of surfing as far as the "Dave Mirra"/"Mat Hoffman"/"Tony Hawk" franchises pushed the interactive representations of their respective sports.

A stripped-down rehash of the excellent "FIFA 2002."

Slick interface, colorful graphics that display cool characters/shapes/colors and the best control interface ever conceived for a music game make this $30 PSOne the definite 32-bit representative of Konami’s perpetual cash cow. [12/31/02]

Despite not going anywhere near as deep as it’s MLS brother, FIFA World Cup 2002 is simply a joy to play.

Arc The Lad Collection is a love affair with the single most impressive packaging I've seen in ANY media, that includes music and DVD's.

Without the intense craziness of true Midway arcade charm, though, even the multiplayer wore thin, leaving me wanting to go back to games like FIFA.

While Spider-Man for the PS2 has its fair share of faults, it simply does so many things right, that you can't help but be sucked in by the experience.

A very amusing and well-designed first-person shooter that suffers from outdated graphics and an unfriendly control scheme, but also remains surprisingly engaging.

The racing is very detailed but without being a hardcore fan it can come off a bit too repetitive.

An adequate but flawed multi-beast shooter that's too overpriced and unpolished to be worth the attention of anyone but the hardest of Ian Livingstone hardcore fans.

Maybe getting drunk would help me appreciate the simplistic gameplay and halfway-decent graphics that "Top Angler" is trying to pass as PS2 worthy.

Misfires by not tweaking the A.I. and gameplay as much as the graphics or the simplified-to-perfection control.

Its unimpressive graphics and unrealistic physics keep it firmly anchored in the 'arcadey' and 'rent before you buy' categories though, despite an above-average attention to small audio details.

Survives its transition from PC to PS2 with its gameplay depth and well-acted voices intact, but with its graphics severely chopped and its control scheme compromised by the Dual Shock 2 button layout.

Simple to pick-and-play, pleasant to look at, fun to complete and cheaper than a deodorant and some toothpaste with a couple of toothbrushes, Rayman Rush is an unexpected surprise.

Not even pictures/video of gorgeous Hooters girls in skimpy outfits could prevent our violent seizures and brain-hurting flashbacks when we played “Road Trip”.

A slight but meaningful improvement over what it delivered two years ago on PS2 with "Eternal Ring".

Simply put, Blood Omen 2 sucks (no pun intended) more than it awes, and goes awry with weak puzzles and action-adventure gameplay that doesn't feel as well put-together as Raziel's lesser challenges in the "Soul Reaver" universe.

It's a few visual tweaks, collision-detection issues and A.I. adjustments away from being outstanding.

The story is cute but nothing really deep and basically just has you playing the various types of Tetris included to move the story along.

Namco has blatantly stolen every single positive aspect of Sega's Hitmaker tennis games to create its own, and that's just sad.

Daunting difficulty and narrow appeal...There are teeth of mine I'd pull with a pair of pliers rather than play this card game ever again.

Passable graphics, decent sound, an uncooperative camera angle and cakewalk difficulty make this a great rental option for fans of the movie.

Tight control, a fantastic training mode that really helps anyone learn, original modes like Kumite and just awesome AI make for one of the best fighters in years.

Without the uniqueness of being a blood-sucking mosquito this game would be a clunky action/flying hybrid that'd be closer to first-generation Dreamcast software than PS2-caliber material.

A breath of fresh air. Not because it's a good game, but because it's such a boring and ultimately unrewarding experience, and an easy-to-categorize example of a Japanese game simply NOT translating well into a localized English release.

It's improvements, however, aren't as dramatic or gameplay-enhancing as those that EA's "PGA Tour 2002" has brought to the videogame golf genre.

Unfortunately all the fun was vacuum sucked out for a more serious tone.

The single biggest sticking point here is that Sled Storm fails to control as well as its predecessor or even "SSX."

A very well executed and polished rehash of a formula that is in dire need of something new or unique to take the franchise to the next level.

Miku might be doing the same thing over and over through four chapters (divided in the game as 'Night 1-4'), but the tension and atmosphere of dread that this game continually builds is about on par with that of an interactive version of "The Sixth Sense".

I found myself enjoying the game most when I would play in 30 minute or so span times. I would get to a place that would frustrate me, turn the game off and then come back later to progress.

It has some bad control issues, but comes with plenty of boxers, solid AI, a new faster engine and some of the best boxing graphics yet.

Fans of the Cartoon Network TV show will either think this is cute or a preposterous excuse (and license) on which to pin some loosely-connected and shareware-worthy mini-games.

Don't let the wonky control, atrocious loading breaks and intended lack of direction keep you from renting one of the deepest, most rewarding and mature adventure games to come down the PS2 pike since Eidos' "Soul Reaver 2".

It's hard but fair, gorgeous to look at and pleasant to listen to (Enya-inspired soundtrack notwithstanding).

The best installment in the series, with only a few minor issues keeping it below 3DO's stellar "High Heat Baseball 2003".

There's just no way around it, the camera is terrible and contributes to making this game’s fun factor go way down.

The game is just not as fun to play as either its prequel or the new breed of b-ball games. This is mostly due to arcade physics forced to fit into the straight jacket of a simulation engine.

What EA Sports' "NHL 2002" is to videogame hockey,..."PGA Tour 2002" has become to videogame golf: the simulation standard-bearer to beat.

Classic platforming action done right. It’s tough as nails, fun and paced to near perfection. What it isn’t, is very original.

It's the closest thing to "Super Smash Bros." that the PSOne will ever get, and based on the compromised look of the graphics on display here that's probably a good thing.

It's meant for those players that can achieve a perfect rating in "Dance Dance Revolution" and are still hungry for more hand-eye coordinated punishment after working out a sweat.

Paying thirty bucks for the privilege of seeing/playing the best-looking 'Woody' ever pulled out of thin air is still too high a price for such a generic, dead-average, inoffensive, platform-hopping and scavenger-hunting single-player experience.

Those who desire the more strict interpretation of European Soccer will find this style more to their liking. Those looking for fast fun gameplay will want to rent first to see if this taste appeals to their tastebuds.

There’s nothing terribly wrong with the game but there’s also nothing terribly special either.

Guess what mom and dad? A bone without meat will still make Jr. crave the addictive gameplay and cutting-edge visuals that the PSOne simply can't squeeze anymore.

Despite its limited depth, State Of Emergency is a lengthy beat-em up that truly shines in short bursts.

HHB 2003 has it all. Good looks, great presentation, solid AI, fun unique game modes and plenty of style.

Fun but frustrating at the same time and only a few steps from being brilliant, Maximo is a must play.

Where Revenge drops the ball somewhat is in the surprising lack of stuff to do or find once all the racing circuits and characters have been unlocked.

Another new addition is icon passing. This actually works really well, especially for those who are more advanced gamers.

If bad videogames were disasters then Salt Lake 2002 would be The Hindenberg explosion and the sinking of Titanic rolled into one.

NAMCO is asking fifty bucks for the privilege of having our fingers sore and our pride hurt from playing a virtual masochist's dream come true.

I've been at late night college parties in which better-organized sports events [than curling] are improvised out of rocks, tree branches and snow (don't ask)!

Enjoy Grandia II for its appealing characters, interesting story, 30+ hour length and the best active-time battle engine in the business.

The original PC version's RPG trappings have been watered down, effectively diminishing strategy and story-telling in favor of lengthy fetch quests and mucho butt-kicking action.

Oh, my how the great have fallen...$50 for Parappa 2 is "highway robbery."

In the right frame of mind and with enough patience, "MGP2" is an absolute blast for players who want their racing semi-realistic, hard and with a convincing sense of virtual speed hitting their windshield (i.e. the TV screen).

It's as if 3DO felt that the horrendous Core-designed, Eidos-published PS One game "Ninja" deserved an equally-flawed sequel that doesn't look much better than Activision's "Tenchu" games.

Add to that the lethargic pace of the action, inconsequential storyline and ridiculous outfits/items (which are an acquired taste at best), and this RPG sinks rather quickly into the ever-growing pool of dead-average RPG's trying to cash on the genre's ever-growing popularity.

Zeonic Front didn't rock my world in the least, but it will undoubtly rock the world of any self-respecting Gundam fanatic willing to tolerate its truckload of flaws.

I see the 2002 version as losing what was decent enough control in the original, but surpassing it in every other way.

The best part about 2K2 is without a doubt it’s realism, however that in itself will put some players off. If you aren’t into putting thought into each and every basket you shoot, 2K2 will seem like a slow, methodical bore. But if you’re in the know, the pacing becomes a sweet symphony that is just a few hairs from greatness.

There is some mindless fun to be had playing along with friends, but not enough to compensate for the absence the Season, Franchise or Dynasty modes we've come to expect from EA Sports.

If you’re the type that likes independent movies and underground techno, you know the art house type stuff, Rez will appeal to your senses. It’s got style written all over it and it’s fairly snazzy to play as well...an experience like no other.

No sensation of speed in a snowboarding videogame = no fun!

We need more humor in our gaming diet, and "Citizen Kabuto" delivers that sandwiched between a tasty dose of shooting excitement and the condiments of an acceptable (but not perfect) PC to PS2 port.

A PlayStation generation brought up on a steady diet of "Final Fantasy" RPG's might not be ready for a trip back to the days when an RPG dared its players NOT to get lost within the labyrinth of its dungeons.

An acquired RPG taste worth sampling with a rental.

Sure Blitzball and the Upgrade system irk me a bit but the absolute perfect presentation and plot are worth these minor aggravations. This is the first MUST HAVE RPG on the PS2.

This game grabbed me from its opening scenes and didn't let go of me DESPITE its average graphics, quirky golf-like control scheme and plain-vanilla soundtrack.

The game's laborious method of having to constantly upgrade replacement killers tacked onto a rather genericly expanded story, buries all of the unique properties that were meant to make this game stand out.

If you're a fan of the show add a point here to take the game from good to very good.

Unfortunately, like other games that have an incredible opening act but don't know how to close the show (certain overhyped Konami action/stealth game come to mind?), "Max Payne" sometimes falls into "Soul Reaver 2"-like pretentions of grandeur that fall short.

But come on, do we really need FIVE different "Pac-Man" games, TWO "Pole Position" games, TWO "Dig Dug" games and TWO "Galaga" games on a compilation CD-ROM that only has 12 titles? I mean, it's a CD-ROM for Christ's sake!

If you like punishment or enjoy suffering through hours of boring quests and downright horrible fighting, then by all means go out and purchase this stinker at once. There’s so much wrong with this game it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what makes it awful as it is.

Moving from one area to the next is the smoothest I have ever seen in any game. From a technical standpoint, this is truly revolutionary.

Decent-looking and extremely fun,...fast, tough, fun and a solid 2D blast from the past that is priced just right at $30.

If you know the names Von Erich’s, The Iron Sheik or One Man Gang, then you might add a point here.

The basis of what is to be an awesome football game has been laid out...It needs better AI, better tackling animations and more via presentation to realistically challenge Madden.

ESPN NFL Primetime 2002 just barely is ready for Primetime.

It spanks the crap out of "Gauntlet Legends" in depth while still having the hack ‘n slash a non RPG fan will be drawn to.

If you wanted to play more of the same after you were through with the underwhelming "Project Titan", Gunfighter will definitely be your bitch for the couple of days it'll take you to get through most of what's worth getting through.

Clever, but not nearly clever-enough to overcome the dull and boring predictability "Tsugunai" [exudes] as it unfolds at a maddenigly slow pace.

The average, barely-passable shooting antics of Dragon Rage are a nice match to its mediocre graphics, mediocre sound, serviceable control and very tempting low asking price.

Probably my biggest gripe with the game is that the tricks are hard to perform. That's not so bad except that pulling them off is pretty much useless on the races.

Along with "Halo" and "Half-Life", DW3 is one of the most fun single-player AND two-player co-op experiences that console gamers can enjoy in 2001 and beyond.

Has the 'I've gotta see what's next' feeling of excitement around every corner.

"Twisted Metal 2" is light years beyond Small Brawl. Small Brawl is more akin to a Gameboy Advance game than a full fledged PSX SKU.